The present invention relates to the field of concrete construction blocks. In particular, the present invention provides a sound barrier fence made from concrete blocks that is easy to assemble, maintain and repair. Some of the blocks of the present invention are also useful for construction of foundation and other walls of buildings.
Sound barrier fences are located beside highways, in urban areas, and serve to deaden vehicular noise from the highway, so that it is not a nuisance in surrounding neighbourhoods. Sound barrier fences may be made from wood, metal or concrete, but are most effective when made of concrete, because of the superior sound deadening characteristics of concrete.
Typically, a sound barrier fence comprises a series of posts, with panels extending between them. The panels may be unitary, or may be made of a series of stacked narrow concrete panels or blocks. The advantage of narrow stacked panels is that each extends from post to post, but the disadvantage is that a long narrow panel is both fragile and very heavy. It must be maneuvered into place by heavy equipment.
A less fragile concrete sound deadening fence construction is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,797, which shows a sound barrier made of stacked blocks. The blocks interlock loosely at their top and bottom surfaces, but neighbouring blocks in a course of blocks do not interlock.
The present invention provides novel fence blocks for use in constructing a sound barrier fence.
In a broad aspect, therefore, the present invention relates to a block for use in erecting a fence, said block having opposed front and rear surfaces, opposed top and bottom surfaces, and a pair of opposed ends, the top and bottom surfaces being complementarity profiled to mutually interfit, and the end surfaces being shaped to permit a plurality of blocks to be laid in a course with no mortar in between blocks in a course.